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FEATURE ARTICLES

Digital Textile Inkjet Printing: Current State of TechnologyThe development of digital textile printing has profoundly affected the design, creation, understanding and use of textiles. In fact, the technology has reached such levels of performance and speed that it no longer is considered as being useful for only sampling and low volume runs.

Optimizing Art Files For Garment ProductionRegardless of the type of garment decorating you do, it is always important to set up and optimize your files properly prior to production, to make sure to get the best possible end product.

New Advancements in Fabric Printing Technology Drive GrowthThe rapid evolution of digitally printed fabrics over the past few years has caused explosive growth as more output providers continue to jump on the bandwagon. In fact, digital textile printing was one of the fastest growing market sectors, reaching 10 percent growth in 2013 compared with 2012, according to Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI).

A Look at Dye SublimationDye sublimation transfer printing has established itself as the preferred technique for printing polyester woven and knitted fabrics in the apparel and home decoration markets.

Digital Textile Printing Has Come of AgeOne only needs to look at what is happening in other parts of the world to see that now is the time for companies in North America to invest resources to participate in the projected growth of digital textile printing.

Maximizing Digital: Print-and-Cut Heat TransfersDigital means many things to different decorators. As a term in our industry, it is commonly associated with the boom in either wide-format digital print imaging or with direct-on-garment printing. Either way, digital is leading-edge and contains many technologies. One key technology with multiple uses is the digital print-and-cut process for fabric embellishment.

Digital Technologies and the Apparel Decorator, Part IIn Part I of this series, we will look at the importance of integrating digital technology and the methodology of inkjet transfers. In Part II, we cover laser transfers, dye sublimation, heat-applied vinyl, and print-and-cut media. Finally, Part III dives into heat-set media and direct-to-garment inkjet as ways to empower your shop.

New Research Shows Influence of Digital Textile PrintingFor at least 10 years, there has been a lot of discussion about the possibilities and potential for inkjet in the textile printing business. One of the first industry events I ever attended was dedicated to the subject. At the time, the suggestion was that as inkjet technology developed, there would be a dramatic shift in the way textiles are printed, including the garment-type textile printing methods.

The Growing Market for Dye SublimationDye Sublimation focuses on two primary areas, including sublimation to textiles/soft fabrics as well as rigid substrates, dye sublimation enables the production of items such as point-of-sale applications, banners, t-shirts, custom flags, license plates, snowboards and promotional pieces.

Banners, hanging dividers, signs, flags, backdrops and posters, along with many other marketing devices, can be created on fabric with sublimation. In dye sublimation, heat–reactive dyes are printed onto a coated transfer paper. When these dyes are heated, they vaporize and permeate the surface objects before it returns to solid form. The result is an image, that doesn’t fade or wear, crack, peel or wash away. Sublimation printing allows you to create highly customizable images on an ever-changing basis.